Making Room
by blueber
Summary: This is an AU Pilot episode for the Fosters. What if Stef was called to the scene of Callie damaging her foster father's car? Stef takes Callie and Jude home instead of Callie being sent to juvie. This will just be 2 or 3 chapters (or maybe a couple more). Disclaimer: I definitely do not own the Fosters.
1. Chapter 1

**Making Room**

This is an AU pilot episode for the Fosters. What if Stef was called to the scene of Callie damaging her foster father's car? Stef takes Callie and Jude home instead of Callie being sent to juvie. This will just be 2 or 3 chapters. Disclaimer: I definitely do not own the Fosters.

**Chapter 1**

The police radio crackled, "Calling backup. Domestic disturbance at 5 Elm St."

Stef picked up her radio and spoke, "On way." They were just a couple blocks from the scene, working a Saturday afternoon shift. They pulled up to a broken down house in a bad neighborhood. Stef and her partner John parked and got out of the car. Another cruiser was already there. Stef looked around and saw a young girl yelling as another cop tried to put her in handcuffs. There was a large man yelling and gesturing at his car. The windshield was shattered, probably by the bat on the ground.

The man yelled, "She's a crazy b**ch! Look what she did to my car!"

The girl yelled back, "You deserved it, you b**tard! Don't you ever touch Jude again!" She kicked out at the officer near her and started running towards the man with hatred in her eyes.

Stef caught the girl before she could get too close and said, "Hey, hey, what's going on here? Let's settle down."

The girl fought her and kept yelling, "Let me go! I'm going to kill him!"

Stef held her in a grip lock and whispered sternly, "You're going to be arrested if you don't calm down!"

Another officer brought Stef up to speed, "She's a foster kid, and her foster father says she just went crazy and started wrecking his car."

The girl shouted, "He's the one who's crazy! He beat up Jude!"

Stef turned to her partner and said, "Okay, okay, why don't we just bring them both to the station and let them calm down and see what's going on."

She started leading the girl to her cruiser, but the girl yelled out, "Jude! Jude! They're arresting me!"

All of a sudden, a young boy ran out of the house and barrelled into Stef. She stumbled and the young girl tore away yelling, "Run, Jude!" and took off down the street. The girl was fast, but Stef caught the boy after chasing them for a couple minutes. The boy yelled out, "Callie!" and the girl stopped and looked back. When she saw that Stef had caught the boy, she started running back to them, much to Stef's surprise.

"You can arrest me! Just make sure he's safe!" she pleaded to Stef as she caught her breath.

Stef put one hand up and replied, "Let's all calm down here. No one is getting arrested just now. We need both of you to come to the station with us. We'll call your social worker and go from there, okay?"

She helped Jude up and slowly led him back to the car. She kept a firm grip on Jude. She knew the girl's weakness now. She knew that Callie would follow if she had Jude. She opened the car door and led Jude inside. When he sat down and looked up at her, she noticed that one side of his face was swollen with an ugly bruise.

She reached out a finger to touch the bruise on Jude's face and asked, "Who did that to you?"

He didn't answer, but Callie spit out, "Who do you think? That a**hole, our foster dad."

Stef looked back at Jude and asked, "Is that true?" and Jude nodded.

Stef turned to shout out to her partner, "John, arrest him for child abuse!"

Once Callie heard that, she got into the car without a fight.

The other officers put her foster father into another cruiser, and they all drove back to the station.

Stef kept an eye on the children using the rear-view mirror in the car while she was driving. Callie had her arm around Jude comforting him.

Jude whispered, "What's going to happen, Callie?"

Callie replied, "I don't know, buddy. I think I might go to jail, but at least we're out of that house. He can't hurt us anymore."

Jude started to cry, "I don't want to be apart from you, Callie!"

"Shh, we have to be strong, Jude. I'll make sure you're somewhere safe. And I'll always come find you, okay?" the girl replied.

Stef felt an incredible sadness looking back at the two kids. At first glance, she had pegged the girl as a troublemaker and was set to arrest her, but seeing her comforting her brother who had obviously been hit, she felt an incredible anger at the foster father, and the foster system who let kids like this fall through the cracks.

At the station, Stef led the two kids to an empty interrogation room and got them some water and a bag of chips from the vending machine. She noticed Callie gave the chips to Jude who hungrily wolfed them down. She brought in her sandwich and fruit from her lunch for them to share as well. She came back in after they ate and started questioning them.

"So, you're Callie and Jude, right?"

They nodded warily.

"What's your last name?" Stef continued gently.

"Are you going to arrest Callie?" Jude worriedly asked.

"I don't think so, bud, but I do need to get all the facts. What's your last name?" Stef asked again.

Jude said, "Jacob". Callie gave him a look like she didn't want him to say anything.

Stef continued, "We need to get in touch with your social worker. Do you know his or her name?"

There was no answer. Jude seemed too scared to answer this time, so Stef turned to Callie,

"Callie, we have to call your social worker so we can find a safe place for you and Jude to stay." She knew the way to get Callie to cooperate was by mentioning Jude's safety.

Callie considered this and softly said, "Bill Ortiga."

Stef looked up in surprise. She knew Bill. He was the twins' social worker too. She told the kids she would be back and went to call him. She had his cell phone number in her emails.

"Hi Bill, it's Stef Foster. I'm calling from the station. We have Callie and Jude Jacob here. It looks like their foster father hit Jude, and Callie damaged his car. We have the foster father here too. Do you want to come out and help us straighten this out?"

"Hi Stef. I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah, Callie and Jude are mine. I'm at the hospital right now with one of my other foster kids who took an overdose, so I'm not sure when I can get there. But I'll call around and see if I can find them a place to stay for tonight and get back to you. Probably a group home is the best we can do right now. Is Callie being charged?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I don't think so. Has she been aggressive before?" Stef asked.

"No, not really. They're good kids, but they've had bad luck. They've been in foster care for 5 or 6 years, and I've had to move them a lot for various reasons. Callie can be tough to handle, but it was mostly things out of their control. She got into a couple fights at school and at home, mostly protecting Jude. He's a sensitive kid and gets picked on a lot. It's been hard finding them placements together. I had doubts about this place but it was a stopgap. I'm not sure where to put them now though."

"I hope you can find them a good place together, Bill. It sounds like they've been through a lot."

"I'll try, but it's going to be hard unfortunately. Keep me posted and thanks," Bill replied before hanging up.

Stef also talked with her partner John who was questioning the foster father.

John explained, "He said the kid fell down the stairs. Do you want to get a couple shots of his injuries? See which story it matches?"

Stef replied, "Sure, the bruise on his face definitely looks like a slap or a punch, not a fall down the stairs though."

She headed back to the kids' room with a camera.

"Jude, we have to take some photos of your injuries as evidence. Can you tell me what happened while I take a couple photos?"

Jude looked up at Callie, obviously scared. Callie replied angrily, "There's nothing to tell. He hit Jude. You can see for yourself."

"Has he ever hit you before?" Stef asked.

Callie snapped, "Yeah, but it's no big deal. I just lost it cause he hit Jude."

"Is that why you damaged his car?" Stef continued.

"I couldn't get him to stop," Callie whispered. "I grabbed the bat and hit his car so he'd follow me out and leave Jude alone."

Jude added, "He kicked Callie too. It was my fault, not hers."

"What do you mean?" Stef asked.

Callie angrily replied, "It wasn't his fault!" She turned to Jude and added more softly, "Jude, it wasn't your fault."

Jude whispered, "I shouldn't have tried on that dress," but Callie quickly shushed him.

When Callie reached out to Jude, Stef noticed that she had a bruise on her wrist consistent with someone grabbing her roughly and hauling her by the wrist. She reached out her hand, but Callie jumped back as if she was afraid of being hit. It made Stef's heart hurt.

"Steady, love. I need to document your injuries too. Can I see?" Stef gently asked.

Callie looked down at her arms as if seeing the bruises on her wrists for the first time. She put them on the table so that Stef could take photos of them.

Stef gently continued, "Jude said he kicked you. Where did he kick you? Can I see?"

Callie shook her head and whispered, "No."

"Callie, I need you to cooperate if we're going to put this guy away. Do you want him out there doing this to other kids?"

Callie looked up surprised at that, and Stef saw her weighing the options in her mind. She slowly lifted the bottom of her shirt so that Stef could see the purple bruises around her ribs.

Stef took a couple photos and gently said, "I think we should get an x-ray to make sure you don't have any broken ribs. Are you having trouble breathing?"

Callie shrugged.

Stef asked both kids, "Do you have any more injuries? Does anything else hurt?"

They shook their heads, but she already knew she wanted them checked out by a doctor just in case. She wasn't sure if they were telling the truth. Maybe they were just used to being hurt.

Stef took the photos to her partner, and they arrested the foster father on charges of assault and battery. They told him he was already in a lot of trouble and talked him out of pressing charges against Callie for damage to his car.

Then, Stef called Lena to tell her she was going to be late. She told her about Callie and Jude and that Bill was having a hard time finding them a place to stay.

Stef explained, "I want to take them by the hospital to have a doctor look at them and get an x-ray of Callie's ribs, and then I'll wait for Bill to come by to pick them up. I don't want to leave them alone."

Lena replied with concern in her voice, "I really feel for them, baby. Do you think Bill will be able to find them a place together? They were already traumatized today. If they get split apart, that would be additional trauma."

"I don't know, my love. I hope he will. But he said probably a group home is the best he could do on short notice."

Lena answered, "You know, our foster license is still good. Do you want to just bring them home for the weekend if it's okay with Bill? He can find them another placement on Monday."

Stef smiled thinking of her partner's generous heart, "Really? Do we have the room?"

"No, but we can make room. It's just for the weekend, and we'd both sleep better knowing they were safe for the weekend," Lena replied.

Stef said, "Thanks love. I would feel better knowing that they're safe, at least for now. I'll call Bill and arrange it. I'll bring them home in a few hours. I love you." She went back to see Callie and Jude with a lighter heart. They would be safe for the weekend.


	2. Chapter 2

_Recap: Stef gets called to the scene of Callie damaging her foster father's car and takes Callie and Jude to the police station. Lena and Stef agree to take them home for the weekend._

**Chapter 2**

Stef was glad to call Bill and offer their home for the weekend for Callie and Jude. On the phone, Bill sounded relieved and quickly agreed.

Stef went back to the kids to tell them the good news,  
"We're all done here. Your foster father has been arrested, and there are no charges against you. I talked to Bill, and he couldn't come by right now, but he agreed to let me take you home with me for the weekend. My partner Lena and I have a foster care license. We have 3 teenagers and not a lot of room, but we have a couch you can sleep on, and you'll be together and safe for the weekend. Bill will come get you on Monday morning."

Callie and Jude looked up in surprise. They seemed hesitant.  
Jude asked suspiciously, "Can cops be foster parents?"  
Stef smiled and said, "Yes, of course. We fostered Mariana and Jesus who are 15, and we adopted them about 5 years ago. We also have my son from my previous marriage at home, Brandon who's 16."

When they didn't respond, she continued, "We're going to go by the hospital first and get you quickly checked out, and then home for some dinner. Follow me."

The kids didn't say a word, but they got up and followed Stef. They quietly sat in the back of the car together with Callie's arm around Jude while Stef drove them to the hospital. Stef wasn't sure if they were scared of her because she was a police officer or whether it was just shock from their traumatic day. Or perhaps it was being taken someplace new with no choice about the matter.

At the hospital, a doctor checked Jude and Callie's injuries. They put some ointment on Jude's bruise on his face. He had some bruises on his arms and torso as well. Callie had to be convinced to lie down and let the doctor feel her ribs.  
"I'm going to send you to radiology to get a quick x-ray," the doctor said.  
Callie snapped, "I'm fine, I don't need an x-ray."  
Stef insisted, "We're going with the doctor's orders, Callie. It's not a choice."  
Callie grumbled, "It's just a waste of time!" but followed Stef out to the radiology department.

The x-rays showed a fractured rib but no further complications. It would heal on its own in a couple weeks but could cause pain and shortness of breath. They gave her some pain killers. Stef thought maybe Callie was grumpy because she was in pain.

Finally, they headed home where Lena met them at the door. Stef said "Hi honey!" and gave Lena a hug and a peck on the lips and turned around to introduce Jude and Callie. But Jude let out a gasp, and Callie looked shocked. Stef sighed and thought to herself: Was this a problem? Maybe they didn't take it in when she mentioned her partner Lena before.

Lena decided to ignore their reactions to their kiss and said, "Welcome! Come into the kitchen, and I'll warm some lasagna for you. I sent the other kids upstairs so it wouldn't be so overwhelming. You'll meet them tomorrow."

When they got to the kitchen, Jude could no longer hold it in. He turned to Lena and said, "Are you and Stef married? That's so cool! And you're beautiful!"  
Callie tried to shush him, but Lena smiled and said, "Thanks honey. Yes, we are pretty much married, and you'll get to meet the rest of our family soon too." Stef and Lena exchanged a smile, glad that having two foster moms was not a problem, at least for Jude. Callie was harder to read.

Lena heated some lasagna for them, and they sat down. Callie and Jude cleaned their plates in 10 minutes but seemed hesitant to accept seconds. Stef and Lena kept the conversation light and showed the kids photos of their family. Jude chatted with them, but Callie was very quiet and apprehensive. She was actually glad that this was a two mom family. She didn't have very good experiences with foster fathers. But she still didn't quite believe that a cop took Jude and her home instead of locking her up in juvie. She didn't trust them yet.

After dinner, Lena said, "Let's get you settled in the living room." She made up a bed on the couch for them. Stef brought them down hand-me-down pajamas and clothes for the next day, and told them they would wash their own clothes tomorrow.

She also brought Callie a glass of water and 2 more pain killers.  
"I don't need both of them," Callie protested.  
Stef calmly replied, "Doctor's orders."  
Callie took them after rolling her eyes. Stef hoped she'd be in a better place after a good night's sleep.

Lena said, "Good night! Sleep well. If you need us in the night, just come upstairs and knock on the first door on the left."

After they left, Jude whispered, "Callie, how come you're being rude to them? They seem nice."  
Callie was quiet, "I don't know. I'm just tired, of everything."  
Jude answered, "Don't mess up the weekend, okay?"  
"Okay, I'll try harder. I'm glad we're together and you're safe. I love you."  
Her ribs hurt. She tried to be grateful that she was in a safe home instead of their last foster home or in juvie worrying about her brother, but she was also feeling overwhelmed with the whole day and her life. She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep and to forget about everything for awhile.

Later in their bedroom, Lena said, "Honey, they look shell shocked. I'm glad you brought them home. Jude is a sweetie, but I'm a little worried about Callie. I think she keeps everything in. She's going to need some time to heal and to trust us."  
Stef somberly replied, "I wish we could do more, love, but we may be in over our heads with her. I'm glad we can keep them safe for the weekend at least."

The next morning, Callie and Jude woke up to the sounds of a full house, with people taking showers, running down the stairs, rustling for food in the kitchen. Lena peeked her head in and smiled, "Did we wake you guys up yet? Come join us for breakfast and meet the kids."

They got up and met Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana in the kitchen. Callie and Jude seemed a little overwhelmed, but they sat and ate a stack of pancakes and bacon which made things seem better.  
Jude said, "Do you guys eat like this every morning?"  
"What do you mean?" Jesus asked.  
"Pancakes, bacon, you know…" Jude replied with wide eyes.  
"Oh yeah, we like pancakes in this house!" Stef confirmed :-).  
She continued, "So, what's everyone doing today?"  
Brandon said, "I'm going to practice for my competition most of the day."  
Mariana added, "I'm going shopping! To the mall with Lexi. Her dad's going to give us a ride."  
Jesus said, "I was gonna go to the skateboard park." He turned to Jude and Callie and said, "Hey, you guys want to come with me? I've got extra skateboards!"  
Jude's eyes lit up. He looked to Callie and whispered, "Can we?"  
Callie warily said, "I guess so."  
Stef said, "Good, Callie make sure you take it easy though. And helmets please for everyone!"  
"Oh mom!" Jesus groaned.  
Stef widened her eyes and said, "It's the law! And don't you forget it! How's the homework situation by the way? Make sure you're back by 4 for some homework time."  
Jesus nodded sheepishly.  
Stef turned to Callie and said, "How's your side feeling?"  
Callie was short, "I'm fine."  
Stef gave her pills to take and said, "I don't want you to overdo it today. If you're out of breath, you need to come back home, understood?"  
Callie nodded, but she didn't really get why Stef cared. She wasn't used to so much attention. It was a little overwhelming.

After breakfast, they all helped clean the table. As Jude was grabbing the glasses off the table, one slipped and crashed to the ground. The glass didn't break, but leftover orange juice splattered on the floor. Jude froze with a terrified look on his face, "I.. I'm sorry," he muttered.  
Stef took a step closer to him to reassure him, but Callie immediately stepped in front of him and said, "It was my fault." Both kids looked like they were afraid of being hit.  
Stef gently reassured them with her hands up, "It's okay. It's not anyone's fault. It was an accident."  
Lena grabbed some paper towels and gave some to Callie and helped them clean it up. Stef felt bad that she had scared the kids. She wondered what they had all been through in previous foster homes to react like that.

Later at the skateboard park, Jude was having a great time, trying out new skateboard tricks with Jesus. Callie mostly sat and watched because she was feeling a little out of breath although she'd never admit it to anyone. Jesus asked Jude, "So, how did you get that bruise on your face? Skateboarding?"  
"No."  
"Did someone hit you?"  
Jude looked down and didn't answer.  
Jesus continued, "When I was little, my birth mom's boyfriend hit me like that once. It hurt! You're safe at our house though. Moms don't hit. It's still no fun when you mess up, and they ground you and talk to you about it forever, but no one hits at our house."  
Jude looked up with interest and nodded.  
They walked back home to grab some lunch. Callie and Jude seemed amazed that Jesus helped himself to anything in the kitchen. He made sure they got plenty to eat too.

All the kids wandered back home in the afternoon. Mariana showed off her purchases.  
"Look at these cool glittery nail polishes we found! Anyone want to try them?" Mariana exclaimed. She got out a blue glittery one and put it on her own fingernails. Jude seemed fascinated.  
"That looks really cool, Mariana!" Jude said staring at her fingers.  
"Want to try? Can I do yours? I love painting nails," Mariana said enthusiastically.  
Jude looked around, but Callie was in the bathroom so he had to make the decision. He nodded. When Callie walked back into the living room, Jude was admiring his blue fingernails.  
Callie said, "Jude!" in a warning tone.  
Mariana jumped in, "Don't they look fabulous, Callie!"  
Callie rolled her eyes and looked back at Jude, "You'll have to take that off before Monday morning!" she warned.  
"I will," Jude said sadly.

At dinner, Stef said, "Cool fingernails Jude!"  
Jude shyly said, "Thanks!"  
Callie muttered, "Don't encourage him!"  
Stef heard her and replied, "Why not?"  
Callie angrily spat out, "You live in a different world than us! Who knows where we'll end up tomorrow. I don't want him to get hurt!"  
Stef sadly said, "I can't control the world, but while you're here, you're safe to wear what you want and be who you are." Stef and Lena exchanged somber glances while Callie looked down.

They had a movie night that night and watched a silly comedy. Everyone laughed and ate popcorn. Callie and Jude soaked in the feeling of being safe and comfortable in a family, but they also felt sad that this was their last night there, and they felt nervous about what tomorrow would bring.

The next morning, Lena and the other kids left for school. Stef had a late shift so she stayed home with Callie and Jude waiting for Bill. Lena had admitted to Stef last night that she felt bad about sending Callie and Jude back into the system.  
Lena had said, "They've been through so much. Make sure Bill has a good place for them, okay? If not, they can stay a little longer. We can make room."  
Stef agreed. She didn't want to let them go yet either.

Bill finally arrived, and they sat around the kitchen table to talk.  
"How did the weekend go?" Bill asked.  
"Really well," Stef replied, while Callie and Jude nodded.  
Bill continued, "Well, I went by your old foster home this morning and got your belongings. I can also take you to the doctors today to check your injuries. I still have to make some calls to find you a place for tonight though."  
Stef asked with worry, "You weren't able to find a place for them?"  
Bill replied, "I'm still working on it. I do have a bed for Callie at a group home, and a possible home placement for Jude, but nothing together yet."  
Jude cried out, "No, we want to stay together!"  
"I know. I'm working on it," Bill reassured him.  
Callie looked like she was in a panic. She had tears in her eyes. She turned to Stef and gave her a pleading look and asked, "Stef, would you and Lena consider keeping Jude here for awhile? Please? If I have to go to a group home, I want him to be safe. He needs somewhere where he can be himself. This is a good place for him. I don't mind where I end up as long as he's safe."  
Stef's heart ached for them, "Oh sweets. You're not disposable. We're not going to throw you away, you or Jude. You are worth so much more than that."  
She turned to Bill and said, "Lena and I talked last night, and Jude and Callie can stay here for awhile longer until you find them a good place together."  
Jude perked up, "Really?"  
Stef smiled and nodded. Callie looked up with gratitude in her eyes.  
Bill said with relief, "That's good news! I can get you some funds to get some beds and clothes for them. It might be a couple weeks, maybe a month. Is that okay?"  
Stef smiled and reached out to the kids, "Yes, that's fine." They would make room.

_Author's Note: Not sure if this story is exciting enough. I think my other story "Taking a Chance" was better. I wrote that one in 1st person present tense in Callie's POV. I wanted to try writing this one in 3rd person past tense, but maybe 1st person sounds more natural? I'm still new to writing fiction. I started writing the next chapter (probably last), and it should be more exciting with Callie having trouble settling in and getting in trouble. I did go with much longer chapters for this story even though there will be less chapters because the AU story line will merge with the canon story line. I also have a great idea for a new story that I want to start._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Callie and Jude started settling in at the Fosters. Lena had them enroll at Anchor Beach School with all of the other kids. They got some new beds, and Callie moved into Mariana's room, and Jude moved into Jesus' room. The twins weren't too happy about this, but everyone was adjusting. Jude was thriving, being in an environment where he was accepted for who he was. Callie was glad that Jude was doing well, but she also didn't want him to get too used to it there. She found it hard to trust Lena and Stef and to relax into this home. Stef had said that they could stay a couple weeks or maybe a month. Things could change at any moment.

At school, Callie always went by Jude's hallway to check on him between her classes. On Wednesday, as she turned the corner to his hall, she saw two boys pushing Jude. They were making fun of his nail polish.

Callie grabbed the boys and slammed them into the lockers, holding them there.  
She hissed, "If you touch my brother again, I'll make you regret it!"

A teacher, Mrs. Oneil, opened a door and yelled, "What's going on here? Let go of them!"

Jude's classmate Connor piped up, "Those two started it. They were making fun of Jude!"

Mrs. Oneil sternly replied, "Well, you can all explain it to Ms. Adams at the vice principal's office."

Lena opened her office door to find the two boys, Callie, and Jude in her office waiting area. Mrs. Oneil explained the situation to her, "I caught them fighting in the halls. She had those two pinned to the lockers, but I also heard that they started it."

Lena crossed her arms and glared at all the kids, "We have zero tolerance for fighting here, regardless of who started it."

She continued sternly, "Callie and Jude, I'll talk to you first. Come in and sit."

Jude and Callie had never seen Lena look so frightening in her role as the formidable vice principal. They sat across from her, feeling scared and ashamed. They both thought this was probably the end of their stay at the Fosters.

Jude said with a quavering voice, "I'm sorry, Lena. Please don't send us away!"

Lena was shocked, "Jude, we're not going to send you away because you got in trouble at school. You are both staying with us until Bill finds a good placement for you together, okay?"

Jude nodded, greatly relieved.

Lena continued, "However, we have to follow the school rules. Fighting is not allowed. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

She looked at Callie, but Callie kept quiet.

Jude spoke again, "It was my fault. I should have taken my nail polish off like Callie said."

Callie angrily jumped in, "It wasn't your fault! Those boys were making fun of him. They were pushing him when I came by."

Lena replied, "I will be talking to them as well. We have a zero tolerance policy towards bullying too. No one is allowed to make fun of how someone looks or whether they wear nail polish here. And violence is never okay."

She turned her gaze to Callie and continued, "Callie, those boys will be dealt with, but it sounds like you took matters into your hands. Did you put your hands on them?"

Callie nodded and looked down. She wasn't sorry that she protected Jude, but she didn't want to say anything to make the matter worse.

Lena calmly asked, "What could you have done differently, without resorting to violence?"

Callie was surprised at this question. She looked up and answered truthfully, "I don't know."

Lena offered, "You could use your voice to tell them to stop and back off. You could get some help from a teacher if they didn't listen. You could grab Jude and walk away and come to me for help. There are always non-violent options. Do you understand?"

Callie nodded again. She thought to herself maybe Lena was right, maybe she could have handled it differently.

Lena asked again, "Could you tell me what you understood?"

Callie quietly admitted, "You're right. I had other options that I should have tried before grabbing and threatening them. But Jude and I usually have to fend for ourselves. And I'll do anything to protect him."

Lena replied, "I understand that. But you have other resources and other people you can trust here, if you let us help."

She continued, "I'm giving you a week of detention which is our standard consequence for getting into fights at this school. I want you to think about your actions and whether there are other ways to react during your detention. Violence can't be your first and only response. Understood?"

Callie nodded. Lena continued looking at her until she quietly said, "Yes, I understand."

Lena then shifted her eyes to Jude with a gentler look, "Jude, I'm sorry this happened today, and I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again. This was not your fault. You should feel safe to be yourself here. If you see anyone making fun of or bullying someone at this school, I want you to tell them to stop bullying and then go get me or a teacher to help. Tell your friends to take a stand too. We all have to work together to keep this place safe for everyone, okay?"

Jude nodded.

She continued, "Please go back to your classrooms now. Callie, you will report here after school for detention. Jude, I was going to talk to you about this later, but I would like you to stay for after school tutoring in math. I'll take you both home afterwards."

Jude and Callie left for their classrooms, feeling relieved and with a lot to think about.

During detention, Lena pulled Callie out to talk to her some more, "Callie, I also wanted to talk to you about something else. I received your past school records. I know you've changed schools a lot, and your grades reflect that. But your teachers have seen a lot of potential in you. Have you thought about your future? Do you want to go to college?"

Callie was surprised by Lena's questions once again, "Um, I don't think I could afford college."

Lena replied, "There are scholarships, some specifically for foster youth, and there are state schools that are more affordable. But as a junior, you have to decide whether you are shooting for college and whether to put in that kind of effort into your schoolwork. What are your plans for your future? What do you want to do when you finish high school?"

Callie answered thoughtfully, "I always just wanted to turn 18, so I could get out of the foster system and start working and take care of Jude."

Lena nodded feeling sad that Callie had to take on so much at a young age, "That is a good goal, but I think you could do so much more if you got a college degree. The types of jobs and salary that you can get with a college degree are much different than with just a high school degree. You would be setting a good example for Jude too."

Callie was quiet for awhile and then softly asked, "Do you really think I could go to college?"

Lena smiled, "Yes, I really think you could. You're smart and determined when you set your mind to it. If you want to go to college, I will help you get there. Both Stef and I will."

Callie looked at Lena suspiciously. Why would they help her? She didn't voice her concerns though.

Lena continued, "So I want you to think about your future goals too. I'd like to see you put in 100% into your schoolwork from now on and to think about your future and the type of person you want to be before you react to things."

Callie sat through the rest of her detention doing her homework and thinking about all the things that Lena had said. She had been in survival mode for so many years. But Lena had awakened something in her. She had never really thought about her future plans or what type of person she wanted to be. Maybe she had time to grow and change here. She thought to herself that she wanted to be more like Lena and Stef when she grew up.

That night, Lena told Stef about her interactions with Callie and Jude at school.  
"I think I made a breakthrough with Callie. She seemed like she really heard me and started thinking about her actions and her future. I'm hoping that she will start to trust us more."

Stef replied cheekily, "Well, I guess that's the good part about her getting in a fight and getting in trouble!"

Lena answered with passion, "She was protecting Jude, Stef. That's what she does."

Stef asked her, "What do you think about Jude? Do you think he's gay? or maybe trans?"

Lena gently admonished her, "I don't think we should label him. He might be questioning his sexuality or he might just be experimenting. Just because he likes nail polish and tries on a dress occasionally doesn't mean he'll be gay or trans. I don't think he knows what he is yet."

Stef replied, "But if he is, I'm glad he's here with people who understand that. I just don't want him to feel ashamed or something."

Lena nodded, "You're right, sweetie. It's important that he has good role models. I hope he will grow up thinking this is natural and nothing to be ashamed of. I think I'll start leaving out some books and movies that have gay teenage characters in them. We could also invite Neil and David over with their kids."

Stef continued, "Do you think he's safe at school? I hate that he got bullied. I might have roughed up those kids too if I had been there."

Lena teased, "And I'd put you in detention too, love," and gave Stef a kiss.

Lena continued, "I'll make sure Jude's safe. I came down hard on those two kids who were bullying him, and I don't think they'll do that again. And I've scheduled Jude's class for an anti-bullying workshop. There's also a Gay-Straight Alliance club at school that I will encourage the kids to join."

Stef cuddled into Lena and said, "I trust you to make sure Jude's safe, my love, and I hope Callie will too."

*** Author's Note: Well, I guess I'm going longer than 2-3 chapters. It's funny how stories have a life of their own. There will be at least 1 more chapter, maybe 2. Next chapter will have more Stef &amp; Callie interactions. It was Lena's turn this time :-). ***


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Callie and Jude had been at the Fosters house for two weeks. They were slowly adapting, but Callie still didn't feel like she belonged. At least her detention at school, for getting into a fight to protect Jude, was finally over.

Jude was touching up his nail polish when Callie came by his room after school.

"Jude, why are you still wearing that?"

"Because I like it," replied Jude.

Callie sighed, "That almost got you beat up, bud."

Jude looked up at her, "I trust Lena. She said that she'll make sure things are safe at school."

Callie felt it was a mistake to trust anyone. She carefully said, "Jude, I know that it's easy to get comfortable here, but you shouldn't trust them. This is temporary."

Jude replied, "Callie, I like them. They're nice. And maybe it's not forever. But so what."

"You're going to get hurt."

"I already hurt."

Callie shook her head in frustration at Jude and went back to her room.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Stef heard the end of the conversation between Callie and Jude as she came out of her bedroom after changing out of her uniform. She felt so sad for those kids. She saw Jude sitting sadly on his bed.

She softly said, "You okay, sweets?"

Jude gazed up at her and asked, "Do you think it's a mistake to wear nail polish to school?"

Stef hesitated. She didn't want Jude to be bullied at school, but she also wanted him to be himself. She finally said, "I think you have to be strong to be yourself sometimes. It's never a mistake to be yourself."

Jude nodded.

Stef decided to continue, "I hid a part of myself for years, that I was gay, because I didn't want to disappoint my father. It was a mistake to hide that part of myself. I wish I had had the courage not to."

Jude looked up calmly, "Is that why you married Mike before Lena?" He had met Brandon's father Mike when he came to pick up Brandon on the weekend.

Stef was surprised that Jude understood, "Yes, and I don't regret that because that's how Brandon came into my life. But I'm so much happier now that I can love Lena and be who I am. Does that make sense?"

Jude nodded again.  
He softly admitted, "Callie thinks I shouldn't get too comfortable here."

"What do you think?" Stef replied sadly.

"I like it here."

Stef smiled, "We like having you here too, sweets," and pulled Jude into a hug.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Callie had walked out of Jude's room in frustration. She saw Stef in the hallway and felt flustered. She hoped Stef hadn't heard them talking. Callie quickly stepped back into her room so she wouldn't have to talk to Stef. She saw Mariana by the closet trying on clothes. She still didn't feel too comfortable around Mariana. She felt like they were from different worlds. Mariana had a family and seemed so carefree.

Callie sat on her bed and looked at the nightstand. She kept a photo of her birth mom on her nightstand, and it always calmed her down to look at it. She sometimes stared at it for hours, trying to remember everything about her mom. But this time, the photo wasn't there. She looked around in a panic. She started moving everything off the nightstand and tearing apart her side of the room looking for it. It was gone!

She heard Mariana say, "What's up with you? Lose something?"

Callie turned around and accusingly said, "Did you take the photo from my nightstand?"

"Why would I take your photo?" Mariana defensively replied.

"It was right here! And now it's not!" Callie insisted.

Mariana hissed, "I didn't touch your stinking photo!"

Callie was so angry that she threw a book at Mariana just as Stef walked by.

Stef quickly intervened, "Hey, hey, what's going on here?"

Both girls started yelling their sides of the argument. Then, Callie saw Jude at the doorway looking scared. She quickly stopped talking.

Mariana kept on, "And I can't live with someone so paranoid!"

Stef sternly said, "Well, you both have to figure out how to live together. It shouldn't be so hard. You're both smart and have things in common. Mariana, I expect you to make more of an effort to make Callie feel welcome. You know what it feels like to be in a new home. And Callie, we don't throw books at people in this house. Come down and talk to me please."

As Stef walked out, she saw Jude in the hallway looking frightened. "Jude, sweets, everything's okay. Don't worry about this," she reassured him. Jude sadly watched Stef go downstairs with Callie slowly following her.

Stef led Callie to the kitchen and pointed her to a chair. She gave her a stern look and said, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself? I know Lena talked to you about thinking before you react. Throwing a book at someone is not okay."

Callie couldn't believe she was in trouble again. She felt like she let everyone down, especially Jude. But she was still upset that her only photo of her mom was missing. She couldn't deal with Stef right now. She respected her and didn't want to let her down, but she also knew Stef would make her talk, and she couldn't right now. She started crying and ran to the bathroom and locked the door.

Stef sighed. She decided to let Callie take some time to recover and went upstairs to ask Mariana and Jude if they knew what was going on.

"Mariana what was the fight about? Jude, do you know what's going on?"

Mariana exclaimed, "She thought I took her photo, but I didn't! I don't even know what photo she's talking about!"

Jude came in from the hallway and explained, "Callie has a photo of our mom that she keeps by her bed. It's the only photo we have of our mom." He had tears in his eyes.

Stef gently said, "Oh love, I wish she had told us that. Let's look around and see if we can find it."

They pulled out the nightstand and found the photo on the floor under it. It had probably slipped down there by accident. Stef took the photo back downstairs and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Callie honey, we found your photo. It had slipped behind the nightstand. Can you come out and talk to me please?"

After a few moments, Callie opened the door, still sniffling. She took the photo from Stef's hand and held it close.

Stef led her back to a chair and gently said, "It's a beautiful photo, love. We can get a frame for it, if you want, and then it won't get lost."

Callie nodded and wiped her eyes, "I'm sorry. It's just the only photo of her I have."

"I know honey, but Mariana wouldn't take that from you. None of us would."

Callie nodded again, looking down. She softly asked, "Can I really get a frame? I...I don't want to lose the photo and forget what she looked like."

Stef gently answered, "Yes, we'll go look for a frame first thing on the weekend."

Stef wished she could hug Callie and take away all her hurt, but she didn't want to scare her. She slowly put her hand out and placed it on top of Callie's hand and said,  
"I know it's hard to lose someone you love, honey. It's hard to trust again and open yourself up again. But it's okay to let others in. I hope you can start to trust us."

Callie felt Stef's warm hand on hers. She wished she could let go and trust Stef to take care of her.  
"I want to trust you, but it's hard," she quietly admitted, "I don't want to get hurt again."

"We wouldn't hurt you for the world, love. We're on your side," Stef gently reminded her. They sat like that in silence for awhile.

Finally, Callie took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry I threw a book at Mariana."

"Well, let's go back upstairs and put that right," Stef replied. "You need to say that to Mariana."

Callie didn't really want to, but she let Stef lead her back upstairs.

xoxoxoxo

Upstairs, Jude and Mariana were sitting on her bed and talking. Mariana jumped up when Callie and Stef came in. Callie turned to Mariana and quickly said, "I'm sorry I accused you and threw a book at you. I know you didn't take my photo." She just wanted to get it over with.

Mariana replied, "That's okay." She shyly continued, "Callie, I know what it's like to be a foster kid and have so few things from your birth parents. And to be forced to share a room with people you don't know. I never felt safe either until I got here. Can we start over? I think we could be friends."

Callie looked at her in astonishment. Maybe she had misjudged this girl. Maybe they had more in common than she thought. She shyly nodded. Mariana smiled and gave her a quick hug before Callie could react.

Stef took the opportunity to pull both girls to her in a big hug and then pulled in Jude too. It felt good to finally hug these kids.

Callie stiffened at first, but then relaxed into the hug. She felt to worn out to resist. Maybe it was okay to let down her guard a little bit. They were making room for her and Jude - maybe she could make room for this family in her heart too.

xoxoxoxoxo

That night, Stef told Lena about her interactions with Jude and Callie. Lena reached out to hold Stef's hand, "Honey, I'm sorry, but I think I'm falling in love with those kids."

"Me too, love," Stef slowly replied, "I want to take care of them and hug them and never let them go. What are we going to do?"

Lena smiled and pulled Stef closer, "Well, I guess we just have to make a little more room in our hearts and in our home. I'll call Bill in the morning and tell him to stop looking for another foster home for them. I think Callie and Jude should stay here as long as they're happy. I don't know if we can adopt them or not yet, but we can provide a good safe foster home for them for a long time."

Stef replied thoughtfully, "I think Callie needs something permanent to be able to trust us, but it seems too soon to talk about adoption. Perhaps this can be their last waystation before finding a forever home, whether that turns out to be our home or someone else's."

Lena agreed, "It took us awhile to adopt Mariana and Jesus too. Those early years were so valuable in getting to know them. I want to get to know Callie and Jude and get a lot of support systems in place for them, school, therapy, all of that. I want time with them."

Stef nodded. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, especially with Callie, but it was worth it. Callie and Jude were worth it.

xoxoxoxoxo

The next morning, Stef and Lena called all the kids into the living room. Stef said, "Callie, Jude, we've told Bill that we'd like to be your permanent foster home, not just an emergency placement. We want this to be your very last waystation. We'd like you to stay with us until you find a forever adoptive home."

Callie and Jude looked up in surprise. They weren't used to people wanting them to stay. Jude hesitantly said, "Does this mean we don't have to leave in a couple weeks?"

Lena smiled and nodded, "You can stay as long as you want, sweetheart. We hope you will be here a long time."

Jude grinned wide and said, "Okay!"

Stef looked at Callie and asked, "Callie, what do you think?"

Callie gave a shy smile and nodded. She felt like she couldn't talk. It was a relief that they didn't have to move again, at least for a long time. She felt more comfortable here than she had ever been in a long time.

Stef turned to the other kids and said, "I know I can count on all of you to make room in our house and in your hearts for Callie and Jude." The kids smiled at Jude and Callie. They already felt like Callie and Jude belonged here with them.

Stef grinned and said, "Alright everyone, family group hug!" She and Lena surrounded the kids and smushed everyone together for a giant group hug. Callie and Jude couldn't help but giggle. Things were going to be okay. It was a full house, but there was plenty of room for everyone.

The End.

(Thank you for reading)


End file.
